As the Worm Turns
by Dannyblue
Summary: A bully learns he might not be the scariest kid walking the halls of Tribeca Prep. Gen.


**Title: **As the Worm Turns  
**Author:** **dannyblue**  
**Fandom:** _Wizards of Waverly Place  
_**Characters: **Alex Russo, Justin Russo  
**Word Count:** A little less than 2000 words.  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Prompt:** Written for the 2009 Yuletide Challenge. I was the Yuletide Santa for **cadhla** , who wanted a story about Alex.  
**Summary:** "For about half a second, Toby felt uneasiness slither down his spine. He would've almost called it fear, except there was no reason for Toby Gant to feel scared because some skinny girl he could break like a twig was watching him."  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own _Wizards of Waverly Place_, or any of its characters.

* * *

When Toby Gant started at Tribeca Prep, he only had one goal. To make sure everyone knew that anybody who tried to give him crap would end up in a world of hurt. And also that he could do whatever the hell he wanted, and anybody who tried to tell him different would end up running home crying to their mommy.

Maybe that was two goals.

Anyway, Toby had loved being in charge (pretty much) at his old school. Loved the way other students looked terrified when he walked in their direction. Loved getting some geek to do his homework just by grabbing the front of their shirt and giving them a little shake. And he saw no reason why all of that had to change just because he moved to a new state and a new school.

So, on his very first day at Tribeca Prep, Toby started letting his peers know how things were going to be. This involved bumping into people in the hallway (hard), and glaring at them when they tried to complain about it. Taking food off of people's lunch trays, and glaring when they tried to complain about it. Looking at a neighbor's paper during a pop quiz, and glaring when they tried to complain about it.

Basically, he did a lot of glaring.

It wasn't long before he attracted the attentions of two like-minded individuals. Eddie and Steve were also big guys (though Eddie wasn't quite as tall, and Steve wasn't quite as wide), and no-one at school was stupid enough to mess with them either. They were pretty cool. And, when the three of them walked down the hall together, you could almost hear the other kids' knees clacking together. It was awesome!

It also wasn't long before Toby scoped out the kid who would be keeping him out of summer school this year. His name was Justin Russo, a nerdy loser whose brain was so big it was a wonder it didn't come dribbling out of his ears. (According to Steve.) And, among other nerdy loser things, he was President of the Alien Languages Club.

Oh, yeah. Getting this guy to do his homework was going to be a piece of cake.

Toby was alone (Eddie and Steve had skipped school that day) when he started teaching Justin Russo the fine art of "do what Toby Gant says if you don't want your face smashed in." Justin was leaning over the water fountain, taking a drink, when Toby decided he was dying of thirst. So he grabbed the guy by the back of his jacket, pulled him away from the fountain, pushed him off to the side, and bent over to get a drink.

For a few seconds, he ignored Justin's angry squeaks and yapping. Then, slowly turning his head, he glared at the kid. And that made Russo shut up real quick, clutching his books to his chest like they would protect him or something. Seeming to decide what happened wasn't worth getting beat down over, the kid frowned before hurrying away. The frown looked more nervous than really scared, but Toby figured it would only take a week or two to fix that.

Wiping water off of his chin, Toby turned. And that's when he saw a pretty, dark-haired girl leaning against a locker. She had what looked like a milkshake in her hand. (In one of those tall, fancy glasses like you get in a restaurant.) And she was watching him. Just…watching. And the expression on her face was hard to describe. It wasn't that prissy, disgusted frown a lot of girls got on their faces when they saw him in action. No, she seemed sort of amused. Except for her eyes. Her eyes looked...cold.

For about half a second, Toby felt this uneasiness slither down his spine. He would've almost called it fear, except there was no reason for Toby Gant to feel scared because some skinny girl he could break like a twig was watching him.

Scowling at her, Toby turned and stalked down the hall.

* * *

Over the next week, Toby continued to "cultivate" Justin Russo. A push here. A shove there. He even tripped him in the cafeteria one day, making him spill his food all over. And humiliation made him turn red as a ripe tomato, which Toby thought was hilarious.

Everything was going perfectly. By the time Toby asked him to write a paper for him or whatever, Justin was going to be too scared to even _think _of saying no. He still didn't look quite as terrified of him as most of the geeks Toby had worked over did by now. But Toby figured he was just so used to getting picked on that he'd learn to hide his fear.

The only problem was that, every time he did whatever he'd done to Justin, he'd turned around to find that girl there. Watching. An amused smile on her face. Her cold eyes trying to drill holes into him.

And, while Toby would never admit it, it was starting to creep him out.

He was hanging with Eddie and Steve in the hall one day when he saw her standing beside her open locker. (She seemed to live out of that thing.) The sound of her loud, raucous laughter filled the hallway. Maybe she was laughing at something the girl she was always hanging around with had said. Or maybe she was laughing at the girl. The weirdo was wearing a dress with red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple stripes. And she had on a headband with a rainbow sticking out of the top of it. It was on a spring so, every time she moved her head, the rainbow wobbled and bobbed.

What a freak!

At that moment, Toby realized he didn't even know the name of the girl who spent so much time staring at him.

"Hey," Toby began, smacking Steve in the arm. "Who's that girl over there?" And he pointed across the hall.

Steve, who had been laughing at one of Eddie's dirty jokes, turned to look where Toby was pointing. And the raunchy smile slid off of his face like bird poop sliding off a car window.

"Oh, man," he said. "That's Alex Russo."

Russo, huh? Bet she was Justin's sister or something. Which would explain the staring. She probably didn't like seeing her wimpy big brother get picked on, but was too smart to try to actually do anything about it.

"That chick is bad news," Eddie said, suddenly looking just as serious as Steve did. And, if Toby didn't know better, he'd swear Eddie looked almost worried.

But, since he did know better (Eddie, who made the captain of the football team look like a scared little girl whenever he walked by, couldn't possibly be worried by a squirt like Alex Russo), he figured it was a trick of the light or something.

Suddenly, Alex Russo turned to look at him, her eyes as cold as ever. Slowly, very slowly, a smile curled her lips.

Toby spent the rest of the day telling himself his stomach had _not_ dropped to his knees because of that smile.

* * *

Since Toby didn't worry about homework—and his mom worked late, so he could pretty much do whatever he wanted—he spent most school nights watching Skinemax while pigging out on junk food and chugging down sodas. So it was no wonder he usually woke up in the middle of the night with an urgent need to pee.

Barely half awake, Toby yawned and stepped up to the commode. Not bothering with the niceties, he simply yanked down his pajama bottoms and tightie-whities, and let-'er-rip. He'd had enough practice with this method that he usually hit his target and somehow managed not to make a mess. Well, most of the time.

Only Toby didn't hear the expected sound of liquid hitting the porcelain bowl. Instead, he felt a stream of warm wetness gushing down his legs.

Frowning in confusion, Toby forced his sleepy eyes open and looked down.

And when he saw what wasn't there anymore—and what had somehow taken its place—he started to scream.

And, over the sounds of his own screaming, he heard oddly familiar laughter. Laughter that made him think of cold, brown eyes.

* * *

Toby felt like a zombie at school the next day. He'd barely gotten any sleep after that frickin' nightmare. A nightmare that had felt so real that he'd wet the bed for the first time since he was six. Which would've been really embarrassing if not for the blinding, heart-pounding panic that had taken control of his body, and had him shaking like a junkie in withdrawal.

He flipped the mattress to the dry side, changed the sheets, and tried to go back to sleep. But every time he managed to drift off, he'd jerk awake a few minutes later, mind jabbering with panic as he reached down to make sure a certain piece of equipment was still there. And, all the while, he could hear that raucous laughter in his head.

Backpack hitched over his shoulder, Toby stumbled down the school hallway. Yawning—again—he reached up to cover his mouth. He'd just about reached his locker when someone stepped in his path.

Toby tripped to a stop. For some reason, the same fear that had kept him awake last night gripped his chest.

Alex Russo stood before him, arms crossed, somehow managing to look lazy and relaxed while standing on her feet. She gave him a very long, very thorough once over. Had anyone else done it, Toby would've been asking them what the fuck they thought they were looking at, or telling them to get out of his face before he rearranged _theirs_. But, for some reason, he was unable to do either of those things this time. Instead, he was frozen to the spot, mouth hanging open as he stared at the girl who was a least a foot shorter than he was.

"You've got talent," she finally said. "I'll give you that. Justin's been slightly freaked ever since you started in on him. And a freaked Justin is always entertaining."

Then, uncrossing her arms, she stepped towards him, invading his personal space until their shoes were almost touching. Toby had to fight not to step back like some big wuss.

"But, as amusing as this whole thing has been," Alex continued, "nobody messes with my brother but me." And she gave him a smile that made his blood run cold.

Everyone else in the hallway—hell, the hallway itself—seemed to fade away. For a moment, nothing else existed but those cold, dark brown eyes. Eyes that were scarier than any of the "scary" looks Toby had tried to perfect in the mirror over the years.

Then Alex stepped back, threatening smile growing into a wide grin. "Sweet dreams," she said through the grin. And, with a cheerful wave, she turned and headed for her locker.

Toby headed for the boys' room. He suddenly wasn't feeling so good.

* * *

When Justin Russo managed to walk by Toby Gant without getting tripped, scowled at, or pushed into a wall, he couldn't help stopping to give the other boy a somewhat surprised frown.

Toby didn't notice. He was too busy spotting Alex Russo watching him from her customary spot in front of her locker. And after that, he was too busy trying to get away from Justin Russo as fast as his feet would carry him.

**THE END**


End file.
